Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer will attend Jon Gruden's QB Camp

Laken Litman

laken.litman@indystar.com

SOUTH BEND – DeShone Kizer is going to have to relive Notre Dame’s 4-8 season pretty soon.

In the next few weeks — before April's NFL draft — the former Fighting Irish quarterback will take part in Jon Gruden’s QB Camp series on ESPN. Gruden will spend time dissecting film with Kizer and six other quarterbacks.

Excerpts of the visits will be featured on "SportsCenter," "NFL Live" and other ESPN shows. In addition to Kizer, Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson, who led Clemson to the College Football National Championship, will be featured. Other participants include Mitch Trubisky (North Carolina), Josh Dobbs (Tennessee), Brad Kaaya (Miami), Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) and Nathan Peterman (Pittsburgh).

“Kizer is an underclassmen like a lot of these guys,” Gruden said about Kizer, who left Notre Dame with two seasons of eligibility remaining. “He has perhaps the biggest arm in this draft. He can really throw the football. Notre Dame had a difficult season and I am a little bit surprised that Kizer is coming out, but he can do some damage with his arm and he has some athleticism.”

Kizer is one of three former Notre Dame players participating in next week’s NFL combine, and is projected as first-round pick in most mock drafts.

Kizer struggled with efficiency last season as Notre Dame's offense ranked No. 62 in the country. In seven of eight losses, Kizer had the ball in his hands late with a chance to win and failed to do so. He ended the year with 2,925 yards passing and 26 touchdowns with nine interceptions and eight rushing scores.